The financial services sector had a busy 2020 for many reasons, and the UK’s 2021/22 financial year promises to bring further developments. In this article, we take a look at the changes expected in banking, finance and asset management. 1. Brexit The loss of passporting rights was a key consequence of the Brexit deal from a financial services perspective ...
Bullying in the workplace and allegations of bullying harassment at work have seldom been out of the headlines. Politicians such as ex-speaker John Bercow or Home Secretary Priti Patel have been accused of such behaviour ...
Dear valued clients, colleagues and friends, We are pleased to bring you the March 2021 issue of our quarterly Newsletter, we hope that you will continue to find its contents of value to you. Real Estate PJD Regency Sdn Bhd v Tribunal Tuntutan Pembeli Rumah: Calculation of Liquidated Agreed Damages commences from the Date of Payment of Booking Fee A case note by Alexis Yong Mey Ling … read more ...
On 19 April 2021, the MLVT issued ‘Instruction 043 concerning the Payment of Wages for Early April (2021) and Additional Allowances for Employees in the Garment, Enterprise, Handicraft and Business sectors during the Phnom Penh and Takmao city lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19’ (“Instruction”). The Instruction states that the temporary lockdown measures in Phnom Penh and Takmao City should be regarded as the de facto suspension of employment ...
As we look forward to returning to our normal routines, after we have all had the opportunity to be vaccinated, many people are wondering what permanent workplace changes will remain in place or will be introduced for workers; as well as the pets they either acquired or became more attached to during quarantine. I am certain my dog thinks I decided to stay home with him all day because he is so wonderful (which he is) ...
The compliant use of cookies requiring consent has presented a major challenge for website operators for quite some time. Following the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the "Planet 49" case, many operators have adapted the cookie banners they use. However, in doing so, they are faced with the difficulty of designing the cookie banners in such a way that these encourage a high acceptance rate from users, while remaining legally compliant ...
On March 26, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) published Announcement 2021-7, which notifies taxpayers that certain amounts paid for personal protective equipment (such as masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes) for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 (“COVID-19 PPE”) may be an eligible expense that can be reimbursed from certain health care account based plans ...
The American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) became law in March of this year. One of the many relief provisions included in ARPA is a temporary subsidy of COBRA continuation premiums for certain individuals, summarized in our prior alert, found here ...
A new bill in the California Assembly has the potential to alter substantially the existing legal framework of products liability for online retailers. Assembly Bill No. 1182 (“AB 1182”), which was introduced on February 18, 2021, would impose strict products liability on online retailers who (1) communicate offers of sale and (2) facilitate payment between a third-party seller and a purchaser, even if the online retailer never takes physical possession of the product ...
07.04.2021 – The Ministerial Order no. 214/22.02.2021 for approving the template documents provided by art. 53¹ para. (12) of the Labor Code was published within the Official Gazette no. 350 dated April 6th, 2021 ...
06.04.2021 – The Law no. 58/02.04.2021 for approving the GEO no. 211/2020 and amendment of GEO 132/2020 was published in the Official Gazette no. 345 dated April 5th, 2021 These new legal provisions introduce a series of amendments of articles wording, certain values/limits and conditions to be met regarding the possibility to temporarily reduce the working time in the current context and access the specific state support ...
On April 9, 2021, the IRS released Private Letter Ruling (PLR) 202114002 (January 13, 2021), which provides additional context to taxpayers worried about whether their Fintech or Insurtech shares represent Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 1202 ...
Banking & Finance ESAs issue joint supervisory statement on the application of the Regulation on Sustainability-related disclosures in the Financial Services Sector (SFDR) ESAs issue recommendations on the application of the SFDR ...
Mask wearing indoors has become a ubiquitous part of the COVID-19 experience. The B.C. government mandated mask wearing in November of 2020 for most indoor public settings. Those orders are premised on face coverings helping to prevent, respond to or alleviate the spread of COVID‐19, when used with other protective measures. Some members of our society have physical, cognitive, or psychological disabilities that make mask wearing unduly difficult or unsafe ...
Employers who suspect that employees are guilty of misconduct often appoint forensic investigators or legal practitioners to investigate whether such misconduct exists. They then prepare a report with recommendations on how to proceed, including whether disciplinary actions can be taken against the employees concerned ...
Due to the Covid-19 government measures, most employees work mainly from their home offices from March 2020 onwards. For internationally active employees, the taxation of salaries is linked to the location where the work is carried out. The sudden switch to the home office may therefore have a major impact on the tax position and the net salary of the employees concerned and on the payroll administration of the employer ...
Covid-19 has left employers who want their employees back in the office in a difficult position. With the pandemic still raging, many employees are fearful of returning to the office with unvaccinated peers. In order to ease their employees’ concerns and provide a safe work environment, some employers are offering incentives to get vaccinated ...
The Government Emergency Ordinance no. 26/07.04.2021 for the amendment and completion of the GEO no. 111/2010 on the parental leave and monthly allowance was published within the Official Gazette no. 363 dated April 7th, 2021. The main legal amendments introduced by the new legal provisions are centered on an increase in the amounts and diversification of cases for granting insertion incentives. More exactly: An amount of RON 1,500 (approx ...
From 1 October 2021, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) will have new criminal powers to bolster its anti-avoidance arsenal, but what does it really mean for those involved with the running of pension schemes? The new powers allow TPR to investigate and prosecute any person who avoids an employer debt, anyone who does (or doesn’t do) something which would prevent pension scheme members from receiving their benefits in full, and anyone who does not comply with a contribution notice issued
On April 8, 2021, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced a proposed rate increase of 1.3 percent for skilled nursing providers in fiscal year 2022. It is estimated this will result in approximately $444 million increase in payments to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) under Medicare Part A for the fiscal year. This increased payment rate does not incorporate the SNF Value-Based Program (VBP) reductions that CMS estimates to be $184 ...
The E-Sign Act was signed into law over two decades ago. To put that into context, smart phones as we know them did not exist—the most popular mobile phone in 2000 was a flip phone, the Nokia 3310, and the first iPhone would not debut for another seven years. The most popular website was AOL because many people were still using AOL as their internet service provider. Google was a fledgling company with its search engine just starting out among the mainstays like Excite and Lycos ...
Gennex Media LLC, a customizable product online marketplace, and its sole officer and shareholder Akil Kurji, have agreed to an FTC consent decree resolving allegations the company falsely claimed its Brandnex novelty products were “Made in USA,” “USA MADE,” and “Manufactured Right Here in America!” when, in many instances, they were wholly imported from China ...
On 24 March 2021, the EU Member States agreed to begin negotiations with the European Parliament concerning a legislative proposal on health technology assessment. Health technology includes medicinal products, medical devices or medical and surgical procedures, as well as measures for disease prevention, diagnosis or treatment used in healthcare ...
Led by Legal Director of Immigration, Rachel Harvey, and Employment Partner Emma Morgan, this webinar focussed on the considerations many Employers are faced with concerning immigration. This complex and ever-changing area means Employers need to keep a keen eye on any changes or alterations that are made to the current guidelines and rules. The key themes from the webinar and what they mean for employers are detailed below ...
